Courting The Girl
by Leni
Summary: Ten years after Queen of the Darkness, Della celebrates her twentieth birthday. (KaeAskavi&Della)


Written for **tigriswolf **at **comment_fic**.

**Prompt:** _Della + KaeAskavi, ten years later ._

* * *

><p><strong>COURTING THE GIRL<br>**

_by Leni_

* * *

><p>Courting the ward of the Glacian Queen was not for the faint of heart, Darnell thought even as he eyed the crowd of youngsters watching anxiously from all corners of the ballroom, vying for a chance to dance with the fair-headed girl. He laughed at their attempts, for Della did not seem the kind to fall for good looks or gallant words. Darnell wasn't surprised; the girl had tasted war, after all, the same war he'd fought as a young Rose-Jewelled Warlord a decade ago.<p>

The stories said that her village had been slaughtered in that first wave of attacks, and that Lady Karla had decided to take in the young orphan, and to raise her as her own when the poison had left her unable to bear children of her own.

Darnell knew that the last part was, not a lie, but a careful misdirection. He also knew that Della had crawled from the den of an Arcerian female the day she'd first met the Glacian Queen.

He still remembered that first sight of the girl. Her hair a mess, her blue eyes half-wild and still afraid, her hands clutched to the fur of the Arcerian kitten at her side - and that kitten had looked as if it didn't know whether to purr for her comfort, or to growl to warn all others away.

(In the end, the Arcerian Warlord Prince had roared loud enough to make the humans jump - except, of course, the young girl who'd instead been reassured by the sound)

How different was that girl from the young lady celebrating her twentieth birthday today!

Darnell had been curious about her, even after he'd left Karla's Court. He'd often wondered how the little girl without enough power for a Jewel of her own would adapt to life among the darkest-Jewelled Blood in the Territory. As he had been one of the few guards chosen to accompany Lady Karla into Arcerian territory to pick her charge, and watched as she didn't stray an inch away from the young Warlord Prince, he'd also wondered how the Glacian court would adapt to the regular visits of the most feared kindred.

Ten years later, and after five years in the Second Circle of a Province Queen's court, Darnell could see that both girl and cat had found their place at court - and had put little more distance between them as they did.

This ball was in her honor, to celebrate her twentieth birthday, and yet it was clear that her own guest of honor was the Arcerian cat at her side.

Little Della had grown up, and he could barely see in her the scared child that had clung to her feline friend during his visits, or ghosted through the palace when alone. The last time Darnell had seen her, Della had been a gawky girl of fifteen, already attending her first dances and receiving the last touches of her education in Protocol, and always running to the gardens to welcome her friend - by then a half-grown cat - as he came to spend the summer with her.

Just like it had been during those months, Della had little interest in the humans around her, and the Arcerian had absolutely none. Despite the kindred's willingness to mingle in the human courts, it was the Scelties who spearheaded the effort, with the wilder species carefully treading in, and only if there was a human special enough to befriend them.

Why would Della need Jewels, when she had the Grey watching over her at every moment? And, even in the cat's absence, the threat of a Warlord Prince's wrath probably did even more to protect her.

For it was obvious that the two were still best friends.

Even now, her right hand was rubbing gently between the ears of the Arcerian cat - whose head, Darnell noticed, reached almost to her shoulder when he sat on his haunches - and appeared to be prattling happily to him.

_Appeared_, because everybody gave the pair such a berth that her words could only have been heard through the use of Craft.

Or, Darnell thought, through the balls to approach her.

He wasn't sure what attracted him to the girl. It wasn't beauty, for several witches in the room were more beautiful and seemed interested enough in a Warlord of his reputation. It wasn't her youth, for Darnell had met several girls ten years his junior and never felt this pull to know them better.

It surely wasn't the threat to his life - or at least his limbs - should the young Lady grow displeased enough with him that her Arcerian companion would take offense.

Darnell thought it was the way she stood, so obviously the center of interest - for it _was_ her birthday, and she _was_ standing happily next to a feared predator - and yet so oblivious to it. After five years in a court where the Ladies fought for prominence, their little spats a never-ending headache for the males around them, it was a small pleasure to see a girl with no interest in the social dance.

So he took a deep breath and made the first step...

Darnell could almost sense the ripple of shock as he strode across the ballroom and came to a stop before the girl, only a feet or two away from the Arcerian and definitely well within the reach of his claws. Protocol was in his favor, as it demanded that he addressed the witch first, no matter that her companion's Jewels were several ranks above her. "Lady," he greeted, giving her the correct bow given to a non-Jewelled female of lower caste that had still a better social status than his. Then he nodded to the cat, "Prince."

The both of them glanced at him in surprise. Considering Darnell hadn't seen a soul beyond Lady Karla and her First Circle approach the pair since the ball started, their reaction was understandable.

The Arcerian recovered first, giving his friend a gentle nudge against her hip. Della sank into a gracious curtsey, but her eyes snapped briefly to his chest, seeking out his Jewel pendant. The Rose usually calmed any female anxiety, as its power posed little threat in comparison to the darker Jewels. Of course, to a witch with none of her own, that would be no comfort at all. Yet Darnell couldn't sense any discomfort in her psychic scent - and he was adept at threading through emotions, that was the reason he'd climbed to a Second Circle while not yet thirty.

Della simply seemed to need to know his Jewel rank so she could know how to behave. "Lord Darnell," she said with a small smile, her blue eyes curious. "Back home after so long."

"I missed the capital, I did. I never expected the Queen to welcome me so warmly, of course." He waved around at the lavish party. "It seems she's gone a bit overboard in her enthusiasm."

Della's eyebrow lifted in wry humor, knowing as well as he that there was little sense to a birthday ball where the birthday girl kept herself in a corner. "I sense a reproach," she said, but she sounded cautiously amused.

"You sense a blustering attempt to ask you for a dance, Lady," he admitted, trying hard not to eye the cat.

He wasn't pounced on by 600 pounds of snarling kindred, so Darnell guessed they had perceived no offense in his offer.

Della still shook her head. "I'm sorry. I don't dance."

It was his turn to be surprised. Not that he'd been denied. She was the ward of the Glacian Queen, after all, and that Lady was well-known for tweaking Protocol and giving only a passing nod to court protocol. Their Queen would probably cheer at any young witch who'd demur from the attentions of a darker-Jewelled male.

And well she should, Darnell thought. A man should not depend on his Jewels to gain a pretty girl's attentions.

What surprised him, however, was that this Lady did not dance - and he sensed no lie in her words - and yet they found themselves at a ball to celebrate her birthday.

His thoughts must have showed, because Della blushed a little and explained. "Lady Karla... She thought this would be a good opportunity for me to meet new people."

This time Darnell couldn't help his gaze from straying to the Warlord Prince at her side. The cat's yellow eyes met his, and he could have sworn he wore a feline smile of satisfaction. "Ah," he said, when his eyes returned to the girl and he saw a twin smile on her face. "I see."

He did. This witch saw no point in making the acquaintance of those who feared to meet her best friend. Darnell felt his respect for her grow a little more, for that decision would make for a lonely life during the months the Arcerian Warlord Prince returned to his home.

"I believe you do," the Lady said thoughtfully.

He guessed that was as much of an invitation to stay as any other had received. "Perhaps," he tried again, changing his strategy and addressing both, "the two of you would care for some company for the next half hour?"

Girl and cat exchanged gazes, and probably a short conversation on a private thread. Finally Della turned to him and nodded. "That would be lovely," she said, "KaeAskavi and I have never visited the Province you've just come from. We would like to hear about it."

Darnell could do that, and he said so with a smile.

The Warlord Prince spoke to him as well, though in a Rose spear thread. *I don't dislike you, Warlord.*

Darnell tried not to show his relief.

A good decision, since the cat continued with, *and I could eat you if I change my mind.*

Darnell kept his smile in place, though he met the eyes of the Arcerian in silent acknowledgement.

Yes, courting the ward of the Glacian Queen was not for the faint of heart at all.

* * *

><p><strong>THE END<strong>

**15/10/14**


End file.
